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Like-for-like sales at Marks & Spencer fell 3.8% in the Christmas quarter, driven largely by a drop in clothing sales as shoppers flocked to high street shops with heavy discounts, CEO Marc Bolland said Wednesday. The retailer released results a day ahead of schedule after some of the numbers were leaked to the media.

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Online sales at Marks & Spencer have dropped 8.1% since the UK retailer transitioned to its new website, CEO Marc Bolland said, noting that a drop was expected as new users register for the site. Bolland said he is confident that the site's content will bring customers back.

Marks & Spencer CEO Marc Bolland touted the retailer's growth in food sales and said it will take time to reap similar results on the clothing side. Like-for-like sales in the clothing category fell 3.8% in the most recent quarter, its seventh quarterly decline; fall and winter lines from the retailer's new team are expected to be the first step in a step-by-step process, he said.

Marks & Spencer aims to boost clothing sales with the launch of new UK collections under a three-year deal with the British Fashion Council. "This is the start of an exciting journey to put more emphasis on British design and talent," said CEO Marc Bolland.

Marks & Spencer reported a 3% rise in food sales at stores open more than a year, and the strong performance helped boost overall like-for-like sales 0.5% during the holidays. General merchandise sales didn't fare as well, as December brought steep discounts to drive traffic.